Ask an expert

Hi I have a FJ Cruiser and when pressing the brake pedal there is a whistle noise coming from the brake. Just wanted to know what would cause it or if it is normal. I have gone to my local toyota dealer and they seem to think it is normal but when I test drove it I never noticed it. They just said it was the type of braking system used in the vehicle.
I also have read the reviews online about the vehicle and thought if it was normal that they probably would have picked up on it in the review.

Thankyou

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by a whistle noise.
Generally a whistle noise (like rushing air) when the pedal is applied regardless of vehicle motion can only come from the brake booster or a vacuum leak in the system, but this wouldn't be considered normal and needs to be attended to.
If the noise is more of a rotational squeal when the brakes are applied when the vehicle is in motion and slowing down, this is something that is a result of brake pad friction against the disc. While it can be annoying, it does not pose a safety risk and can sometimes be difficult to eliminate.
Older vehicles had asbestos in the brake linings and squeal was rarely a problem. Modern cars don't have asbestos for health reasons, and have a high metallic content in the brake linings. When the brakes are applied (particularly on light application) the pads can squeal against the brake disc. There are some steps that mechanics can take to try to minimise squeal, such as chamfering the edge of the pads, applying copper grease to the back of the pad, ensuring the pad and disc are bedded in properly etc, but it's not always easy to completely eliminate this.
Please let us know if we have not correctly understood your question and we'll try to provide additional advice.